REIMAGINE THE CANALS

TASK FORCE REPORT

JANUARY 2020
REIMAGINE THE CANALS
TASK FORCE REPORT

JANUARY 2020
 TABLE OF
CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
TASK FORCE OVERVIEW 7
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND 15
TASK FORCE FINDINGS 23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 59
APPENDICES 61

Tainter gates
at Lock CS-1

4 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS

 REIMAGINE THE CANALS

LETTER FROM
THE CO-CHAIRS
The opportunity to lead the Reimagine the Canals
Task Force has been immensely gratifying for all
three of us. As former state and county officials,
each of us knows well the Erie Canal – but in our Waterford, NY this short effort. This includes both public
institutions – such as SUNY’s College
has just begun. As we work together toward
realizing these goals, we will inevitably
wildest dreams could never have imagined a vision of Environmental Science and Forestry, encounter challenges – much like the
Rockefeller Institute and Monroe Community visionaries behind the 19th century Erie
for its future as ambitious and exciting as the one College – and private ones, including Union Canal and its successor, the 20th century

we present in the pages that follow.
This Task Force report lays out a bold and
inspiring vision that builds on the Canal
System’s legacy by leveraging and adaptively
reusing its unique ability to control one of
our State’s most precious resources – its
water. The Task Force was formed as a
response to the many compelling ideas
submitted to the New York Power Authority’s
Reimagine the Canals ideas competition in
2017. From ecologic restoration to economic
regeneration and from agricultural irrigation
to flood mitigation, the Task Force studied a
wide array of challenges and opportunities
facing canal communities.
The findings presented in this report are the
product of Task Force member meetings,
public engagement sessions, stakeholder
focus groups, and hundreds of hours of
expert consultation. While no analysis
undertaken over a six-month period could
be fully comprehensive, we believe the
diversity of voices and opinions presented in
this report provide a clear road map for the
transformation that lies ahead.
We want to graciously thank our fellow Task
Force members who provided their time
and expertise to ensure that our work was
grounded in a fine-grained understanding
of the inter-related challenges and
opportunities that the last half century of
change has left in its wake. We benefitted
greatly from their diverse knowledge
bases - scientists, farm experts, former
elected officials, geologists, developers,
environmental and preservation advocates,
fishermen, boaters, and marina owners, all of
whom conveyed the concerns of their own
constituencies.
We also want to thank the institutions
participating in our effort, whose work in
shaping New York State goes far beyond
College and Clarkson University. It includes
federal agencies, such as the US Geological
Barge Canal. As they were convinced of the
wisdom of their ambitions, so too are we.
Survey and Corps of Engineers, and New The bicentennial of the original Erie Canal
York State ones – most notably the six offers an opportune moment to reinvent
agencies who participated directly in the and reinvest in our shared legacy, and
Task Force. we look forward to working with groups
represented by Task Force members, with
The process of seeing through the work of New York State agencies and the Governor,
this Task Force has been educational for and with communities along the corridor to
all three of us. Despite our respective years realize a vibrant third century for this storied
of experience in government, no single waterway.
individual could ever hope to fully understand
the issues touching canalside communities
across more than 350 miles of our great state.
Every town, village, and city along the Canal Joanie Mahoney, Task Force Chair
has its own specific culture, industrial history,
and set of physical challenges. By dividing the
work into three watersheds – the Western,
the Central and the Mohawk - we were able to Joe Martens, Task Force Co-Chair
engage in a depth of analysis and discussion
that could not otherwise have been achieved
over such a short period.
Bob Duffy, Task Force Co-Chair
Though our panel’s deliberations are
complete, the task of delivering this vision

1 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS LETTER FROM THE CO - CHAIRS | 2

REIMAGINE THE CANALS
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Marking the beginning of the third century of the
New York State Canal System, the Reimagine the
Canals Task Force was convened in May of 2019 by
Governor Andrew Cuomo to determine how this
historic infrastructure asset can be mobilized anew
to promote the health and well-being of upstate New
York’s communities, economies, and ecosystems.
This panel, comprised of community leaders
and experts in canal-related fields, worked
over the ensuing six months to review studies
and analyses that addressed a wide array of
challenges and opportunities and to develop
its own set of findings. This report outlines the
panel’s work.
The Reimagine the Canals initiative takes
place at an important juncture. Over the
last half century, commercial shipping on
the Erie Canal declined and then largely
disappeared – a reflection of the decline of
manufacturing industry in towns along its
route. In response to this structural change,
and to the demographic shifts it caused,
canalside communities have been required to
3 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Pittsford, NY
embrace new land use patterns and modes
of development to stabilize populations and
encourage new industries and tourism. Recent
investments by the State have supported and
facilitated these changes, recognizing the shift
from commercial to recreational use along the
waterway and priming towns along the Erie
spine to engage in adaptive reuse of land,
buildings and infrastructure.
Yet challenges to fully realizing the waterway
as an economic development engine over the
course of the next century are significant.
Climate change increasingly threatens upstate
New York with extreme, unpredictable weather
- ranging from damaging summer droughts in
western New York to chronic flooding year-
round in towns throughout the Mohawk River
Valley. With 40 percent of the State’s water
bodies connected to the NYS Canal System,
the growth of recreational boating and fishing
across the State is separately threatened by
a rise in aquatic invasive species within, or
poised to travel through, the canal vector. And
water quality remains a major issue across the
State – most notably in Mohawk Valley towns,
some of whom draw water from the Canal.
The Task Force attempted to address and
balance these opportunities and threats. Its
work was largely inspired by the Reimagine
the Canals competition run by the New
York Power Authority (NYPA) in 2017,
which produced innovative ideas for canal
activation. But it also builds on work being
done by a variety of state agencies actively
engaged in upstate economic development
and resilience – the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Office
of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
(OPRHP), Empire State Development
(ESD), the Department of Agriculture and
Markets, NYPA’s Canal Corporation and
the Department of State. Together, the
Task Force’s 25 appointed members and six
ex-officio agency nominees reached broad
consensus on a variety of recommendations
designed to keep up the momentum initiated
by local and state projects, most notably
the imminent completion of portions of the
Empire State Trail running along the Erie
Canal from Albany to Buffalo.
Acknowledging the diversity of communities
and economies located across more than
360 miles of the Erie spine, Task Force work
was undertaken both in plenary sessions
and in subcommittees devoted to each of
three regions: the Mohawk Region, running
approximately from Waterford to Rome; the
Central Region, embracing the Finger Lakes
area through Oneida Lake; and the Western
Region, from Macedon to Buffalo. This report
contains both system-wide findings and
recommendations relating specifically to
those individual regions.
The Task Force’s system-wide
recommendations recognize opportunities
to expand and improve existing recreational
uses and also introduce new ones. A
series of recommendations for immediate
operational improvements have been
made, most notably enhanced coordination
among the constituencies that oversee and
manage programs relating to the Canal and
unified marketing and branding to greatly
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | 4
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
widen its renown and appeal. A range of
new economic development opportunities
were identified for near-term investment.
Novel forms of water recreation, including
paddleboarding, rafting, surfing, and ice-
skating, can strengthen tourism and build
on existing recreational boating activity as
well as tap into ecotourism trends. “Iconic
Infrastructure” destinations should be
identified, to create year-round tourist
attractions and a backdrop for community
celebrations. Improvements in overnight
accommodations can support forecasted
growth in tourism and recreation, enabling
visitors to stay longer and spend more in canal
towns. Redevelopment of industrial property
held by the Canal Corporation should be
pursued at scale, activating now-moribund
downtown waterfronts. New connections
to the Empire State Trail should be made,
providing better access to the trail from towns,
cultural and educational institutions, and
hospitality destinations.
In the Western Region, existing Canal
infrastructure can be adaptively reused to
greatly strengthen rural economies. Using Erie
Canal water to expand agricultural irrigation
will enable farmers to invest in high-value
crops, such as apples or other fruits and
vegetables, safeguarding these crops against
the increasing droughts, which are forecast
to accompany climate change. Recreational
fishing growth in Lake Ontario tributaries will
result from more reliable access to canal water,
optimizing fish habitats and greatly expanding
opportunities for angling-related tourism.
In the Central Region, restoring and
expanding wetlands should be pursued
now to increase ecotourism—sites like the
Montezuma wetlands are an important habitat
for migratory birds—and restore the health of
a now-compromised ecosystem. Combatting
aquatic invasive species would improve the
health of New York State’s waterways, which
today suffer from the ravages of hydrilla,
algal blooms and a range of invasive fish and
mollusks, and would protect investment in
Waterford Flight
5 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
new canal uses from being undermined by
future invasive outbreaks. Further study of
strategies to counter invasives is warranted
to protect and enhance New York’s waterways
and the businesses that depend on them.
The Mohawk Region, due to its riverine
nature, continues to be plagued by flooding
from summer storms and winter ice jams,
both of which are exacerbated by the
changing climate. The Task Force recognized
there are significant opportunities to
mitigate the effects of ice jams, reduce
summer flooding, and improve forecasting
and early-warning systems in ways that
allow residents to better prepare for flood
events and lead to the benefits that come
from reviving natural systems. The Task Force
also recommends further study into Mohawk
tributary restoration, which could prove
an important method for enhancing water
quality and improving the health of fish and
wildlife habitats in this region.
Together, the findings laid out by the
Reimagine the Canals Task Force offer a road
map for transformation - not simply from an
industrial to a recreational waterway but also
to a 21st century tool for communities to meet
and overcome unprecedented economic and
environmental challenges.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | 6
 TASK FORCE OVERVIEW
7 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
TASK FORCE OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Stretching from Albany to Buffalo, perhaps no
single piece of infrastructure is more responsible
for New York’s rise as a state, and New York City’s
rise as a global capital, than the storied Erie Canal.
The 1817 plan to build a man-made ditch
across hundreds of miles of wilderness was
unprecedented in its reach—one of the most
ambitious American engineering visions
of all time. The construction of the original
Erie Canal, and its expansion and eventual
replacement by the present Barge Canal over
the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries,
supported the growth of industries across
its breadth - powering the development of
towns such as Schenectady, Amsterdam, Utica,
Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.
Yet over the last half century, commercial
shipping on the Erie Canal waned and
then virtually disappeared. Changing trade
patterns and industrial decline, as well as
competition from alternative modes of
transport, have left the waterway devoid
of the barges it was designed to serve. The
Canal, however, continues to be operated
much as it has been for the past hundred
9 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
LOCKPORT
To
Lake
Erie
BUFFALO
years, including maintaining and operating the
costly infrastructure designed for its original
commercial uses.
In the absence of commercial traffic,
recreational use along the waterway and
its trail has grown steadily over the last
several decades. Motorized boating is now
accompanied by kayaking, canoeing and other
forms of human-powered boating; biking,
walking and running along the trail have
expanded as well. The number of community-
based events, such as concerts and festivals,
has increased significantly and these now take
place seasonally across the breadth of the
Canal.
At the same time, under Governor Cuomo’s
leadership, new forms of investment have
supported the transformation of canalside
communities. Programs like the Downtown
Revitalization Initiative, the Local Waterfront
New York State Canal System
To Lake Ontario
OSWEGO
ROCHESTER CANAL Oneida Lake
UTICA
SYRACUSE
CAYUGA-SENECA
CANAL
Seneca Lake Cayuga Lake
Revitalization Program, and the Canalway Grant
Program have helped activate waterfronts
along the Canal and continue to do so. Places
like Pittsford, Baldwinsville and Fairport have
become models for adaptive reuse of waterside
infrastructure. Most recently, the Reimagine the
Canals Ideas Competition, undertaken by NYPA,
provided initial funding for the development
of a new form of canalside housing on former
industrial lands on a historic section of the
Canal - a “pocket neighborhood” in Canastota,
New York.
To explore these opportunities further, the
Reimagine the Canals Task Force was convened
by Governor Cuomo in May 2019 to investigate
how the Erie Canal can be used as a catalyst for
economic development and tourism, improved
quality of life, and environmental resiliency.
Chaired by Joanie Mahoney, former Onondaga
County Executive, the Task Force was asked to:
• Identify potential new uses for the Erie
Canal aimed at improving the quality of
life for New Yorkers
• Evaluate how the Erie Canal can support
and enhance economic development along
the canal corridor
To Lake Champlain
CHAMPLAIN
CANAL
ROME
SCHENECTADY
ALBANY
To New York City N
• Find new opportunities to enhance
recreation and tourism along the
Erie Canal
• Assess how the Erie Canal can help
mitigate impacts from flooding and ice
jams to improve resiliency and restore
ecosystems in canal communities
• Identify opportunities for using Erie Canal
infrastructure to expand irrigation for
Western New York farms
The Task Force’s findings, described on the
pages that follow, represent a bold, forward-
looking vision designed to anchor resilient
communities and improve the quality of life for
the 3.6 million New Yorkers who live along the
Erie Canal’s spine. Harnessing the full potential
of this unique piece of infrastructure could
transform the future for these New Yorkers
and many others and cement the State’s place
as a leader in the fight against the ravages of
climate change.
TASK FORCE OVERVIEW | 10
TASK FORCE OVERVIEW
TASK FORCE
MEMBERS
The Reimagine the Canals Task Force included
25 members representing important constituencies
and interests across the NYS Canal System.
In addition, six representatives of state
agencies served ex-officio on the panel
(Department of Environmental Conservation,
Empire State Development, Department of
Agriculture and Markets, Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation, Canal
Corporation, and Department of State).
Because of the expansive geography that
comprises the Canal System, Task Force work
was undertaken both in plenary and in three
regional subcommittees: the Central, chaired
by Joanie Mahoney (Chief Operating Officer
at the SUNY College of Environmental Science
and Forestry in Syracuse and former County
Executive of Onondaga County), the Mohawk,
chaired by Joe Martens (Director of the New
York Offshore Wind Alliance and former
New York Department of Environmental
Conservation Commissioner), and the Western,
chaired by Bob Duffy (CEO of the Greater
Rochester Chamber of Commerce and former
Lieutenant Governor of New York).
11 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Between May and November 2019, each
regional subcommittee convened multiple
times and the full Task Force convened
three times. At each meeting, the Task
Force reviewed commissioned analyses
from technical experts in fields relevant to
its appointed mission as well as public input
garnered by the State University of New York
(SUNY) Rockefeller Institute of Government,
which conducted outreach with Canal
communities across the State. Drawing on their
varied areas of professional expertise, Task
Force members produced the findings outlined
in this report.
Task Force Chairs
Joanie Mahoney SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Chair; Central Region
Bob Duffy Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Co-Chair; Western Region
Joe Martens NY Offshore Wind Alliance
Co-Chair; Mohawk Region
Task Force Members
Michael Arcuri Arcuri Ward Law
Andy Beers Empire State Trail, Hudson River Valley Greenway
Ron Bierstine Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge
Leslie Becraft-Corrigan Winter Harbor Marina
David Buicko Galesi Group
John Courain Genesee Waterways Center
Marie Cramer Canal New York
Maureen Doyle Central NY Waterways
Robin Dropkin Parks and Trails New York
John Garver Union College
Stu Gruskin The Nature Conservancy
Bruce Van Hise Corn Hill Navigation/Sam Patch Tours
Jill Jedlicka Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
Robert King Monroe Community College, Agriculture and Life Science
Chris Lajewski National Audubon Society
Cornelius B Murphy Jr. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Bill Nechamen Association of State Floodplain Managers/Nechamen Consulting
Derrick Pratt Erie Canal Museum
Bob Radliff Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
John Robinson Our Ability
Amanda Krenning-Muoio New York Farm Bureau
David Wolfe Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science
Task Force Ex-Officio Members
Richard Ball Department of Agriculture and Markets
Erik Kulleseid Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Rossana Rosado Department of State
Basil Seggos Department of Environmental Conservation
Brian Stratton NYS Canal Corporation
Howard Zemsky Empire State Development
TASK FORCE OVERVIEW | 12
 TASK FORCE OVERVIEW

TASK FORCE
SUPPORT

BuroHappold Engineering served as lead
consultant and secretariat to the Task Force. In
addition to coordinating Task Force meetings
and producing this report on behalf of the
panel, the firm commissioned and managed
a group of sub-consultants to undertake
technical analysis for each of the topics under
evaluation by the Task Force. A list of these
sub-consultants as well as information about
their reports is found in the Appendices.
To assist in and inform its mission, the
Task Force appointed SUNY’s Rockefeller
Institute of Government to simultaneously
carry out a community engagement process.
The Institute held five open community
engagement sessions across the Canal corridor
in July 2019, attended by a total of 400
participants. Additionally, over 250 comments
were submitted to the Rockefeller Institute’s
online survey tool for the public engagement
process. The Institute’s goals were to (1) share
innovative concepts from the Reimagine the
Canals Ideas Competition and precedents
for waterway revitalization, (2) gather and
report on the concerns and ideas of canalside
communities, (3) identify projects likely to
Community engagement
increase Canal engagement, and (4) encourage
workshops in Schenectady public participation in Canal transformation
and Brockport, July 2019
going forward. The Rockefeller Institute also
collected information online from Canal users
across the country. A link to the full report is
provided in the Appendices to the Task Force
report.
Following the Rockefeller Institute’s
engagement with the general public, in
September 2019, a separate series of
stakeholder focus groups was organized by
BuroHappold with the assistance of Task
Force members. These brought together
experts from government, academia, private
industry, business owners, community leaders
and non-profit advocacy organizations
to further explore the concepts and
opportunities raised in the public workshop
sessions. The input from these sessions also
helped to inform and shape the findings
detailed in this Task Force report.

13 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS TASK FORCE OVERVIEW | 14

 ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND
15 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND
A HISTORY OF
REIMAGINATION
The story of the Erie Canal is the story of America:
a story of leadership in innovation and industry,
of westward expansion, and of courage, foresight,
and agile adaptation in the face of changing
circumstances.
In 1817, New York Governor DeWitt Clinton
approved funding for a wildly imaginative
construction project: a canal that would cut
clear across New York State, connecting the
Hudson River to Lake Erie. Before the Erie
Canal, a traveler between Albany and Buffalo
would face a two-week journey on roads that
baked in the summer and dissolved in a sea
of mud in winter; after the Canal opened in
1825, that same trip could take five days. The
Canal thus provided a critical supply line that
in many ways “made the nation,” moving trade
and settlement from the east coast into the
center of the country. Its innovative engineering
contributed to the founding of upstate New
York’s many excellent engineering and science
universities, such as Rochester Institute of
Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
and Union College.
17 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Historic map showing
19th century and
proposed 20th century
Erie Canal routes
As the 19th century wore on, the Canal
struggled to accommodate traffic and
increasingly large barges. Between 1836 and
1862, the original Erie Canal—sometimes
called “Clinton’s Ditch”—was made wider and
deeper, resulting in what became known as
the “enlarged Canal.” But commercial shipping
continued to outgrow the Canal – and was
increasingly shifting to rail. In an attempt to
compete with the railroads for freight, New York
State approved an ambitious plan to deploy
new technologies to ‘canalize’ the Mohawk,
Oswego, Seneca, and Clyde Rivers (i.e., building
canal infrastructure in the rivers themselves)
and reroute the central portion of the Erie Canal
north through Oneida Lake. The reimagined
and relocated “New York State Barge Canal”
opened in 1918, with its Erie section featuring a
deeper and wider channel as well as dams along
the Mohawk River that allowed the river to be
converted seasonally into a series of navigable
pools for deep-draft vessels.1
While the Barge Canal did attract a significant
amount of cargo in its early decades,
increasingly stiff competition from railroads
and new competition from roads and highways
would make its success short-lived. Commercial
traffic on the system as a whole peaked in 1951
and, partially due to the opening of the St.
Lawrence Seaway in 1959, has declined steadily
since. Today, no regular commercial traffic
remains on the Erie Canal portion of the Barge
Canal.
Recognizing the decline in commercial
shipping, New York State undertook a number
of initiatives in the late 20th century to
examine opportunities for recreation along the
waterway. In 1992, the New York State Thruway
Authority took ownership of the Barge Canal,
and the New York State Canal Recreationway
Commission was created to advise on canal-
related activities. The Commission developed
the Canal Recreationway Plan in 1995 and the
New York State Canal Revitalization Program
in 1996. These plans laid an early foundation
for the repositioning of the Canal as a spine of
recreation and tourism, yet were subject to the
constraint that the Barge Canal continue to be
maintained and operated for commercial traffic.
In 2000, Congress established the Erie
Canalway National Heritage Corridor, which,
together with the non-profit Erie Canalway
Heritage Fund, partners with federal, state,
and local organizations to preserve the
Canal’s history, provide recreational and
educational opportunities, and foster economic
revitalization. In 2014, the Barge Canal was
designated as a National Historic District in the
National Register of Historic Places.
As the Erie Canal enters its third century, it also
stands poised for its third reimagining. The year
2017 marked 200 years since construction on
the Erie Canal began. That year, control of the
Barge Canal shifted to NYPA, the Reimagine
the Canals competition was launched, the NYS
Canal System was designated as a National
Historic Landmark, and construction began on
the Empire State Trail - nearly half of which runs
alongside the asset. These actions set the stage
for the visioning, engagement and analysis
undertaken by the Reimagine the Canals Task
Force.
1 The Barge Canal System consisted of four separate
canals: the relocated Erie, the Cayuga-Seneca
(connecting Cayuga and Seneca Lakes to the Erie Canal),
the Oswego (following the path of the Oswego River from
Baldwinsville and Clay to Oswego) and the Champlain
(running north from Troy into Lake Champlain).
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND | 18
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND
LOOKING FORWARD
Opportunities
Today, the Erie Canal (“the Canal”) operates
seasonally from May to October as a
recreational waterway. During what is referred
to as “the navigation season,” most boaters
spend time cruising ‘pools’ of water between
locks; only about 24 percent of users travel
through a lock, the majority of them in
the Central region. Motorized boating still
dominates on much of the Canal, but human-
powered recreation - such as paddleboarding
and kayaking - is growing rapidly: between
2011 and 2016, the number of human-powered
boat lockages nearly tripled, and the Canal
Corporation presently maintains over 125
kayak launches.
Most regular users of the Canal, however, are
not on the water at all. The 750-mile long
Empire State Trail, which upon completion in
2020 will be the longest multi-use trail network the Canal is within an hour’s drive of Niagara
in the nation, runs alongside the towpath of
the original Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo. burgeoning millennial population coming out
Known as the Canalway Trail, this 360-mile
path is heavily used as a place of landside
recreation in its fully completed sections –
most notably along the channelized, western
portions of the Canal. The Trail provides the
communities along its banks with a place to
bike, walk and run – or simply relax and enjoy
views of the water.
19 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
T
Beyond the Trail itself, the canal waterfront
has served to stimulate regeneration and
AF
redevelopment in communities along its banks.
Supported by a variety of state programs,
recent development projects in communities
such as Fairport, Pittsford, Baldwinsville, Little
Falls, Amsterdam and Schenectady have proven
the viability of diverse types of canalside
development and new waterfront public spaces.
Regular programming in other canal towns
DR
attract visitors from nearby communities,
primarily but not exclusively during the
summertime navigation season.
Other factors suggest that the Canal is ripe
for a reimagining. Opportunities to attract
tourists from other locations are close at hand,
thanks to the steady flow of tourists who
already visit upstate New York every year;
Falls, the Adirondacks, and the Finger Lakes. A
of upstate universities offers opportunities to
expand local population bases, and constitutes
a receptive audience for human-powered
boating as well as new and innovative forms
of canal activity. With increased recreational
opportunities and improved branding and
marketing, the Canal could take its place among Programming and
New York State’s most popular attractions. events in Amsterdam
and the Tonawandas
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND | 20
 ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND
Challenges
As commercial shipping on the Canal has
declined, so too have the populations of cities
along its path. Cities like Buffalo, Rochester
and Syracuse – industrial powerhouses during
the era of waterborne transportation – are
now much smaller than they were even a half
century ago.
Apart from declining population and use,
the Canal’s infrastructure itself is now a
century old – with much of it approaching
the end of its useful life. Major components
of this industrial-sized infrastructure, such as
the locks, movable dams, and guard gates,
constructed expressly to support commercial
use, require either replacement or increased
maintenance. The total budget for the Canal
System is rising rapidly: while historic costs
have been between $90M and $100M annually,
total capital and operating costs during the
last two years have increased to $125M and
$140M respectively.
Canal infrastructure and the communities
it abuts face significant climate-related and
resilience challenges – challenges that are
more acute with each decade. Floods have
been recorded in the Mohawk River Valley
since the 1600s, but climate change has
increased the frequency and intensity of
flood-inducing storms: four of the region’s
six most destructive floods have taken place
Commercial Shipping and Upstate Population Decline in the last ten years and studies indicate
that flood levels in the Mohawk Valley could
rise nearly 20 percent over the next decade.
Recent ice jams have further increased the
risk of severe flooding along the Mohawk
River, with 8- to 17-mile ice jams recorded in
the Canal above Schenectady in 2017 and
2018. Both winter and summer flooding events
contribute to the capital costs associated with
canal infrastructure, in addition to the losses
incurred in canal communities.
Flooding at Lock E-10,
June 2006
Climate change has also impacted canal
Water chestnut growth in communities in western New York. Increasingly
the Finger Lakes severe droughts in Niagara, Monroe, and
21 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Orleans Counties threaten the future of the
State’s primary region for fruit and vegetable
production. Even in otherwise wet years,
periods of drought can significantly lower the
quality and yield of agricultural products. The
absence of natural aquifers in the area leaves
farmers in that region particularly vulnerable
to these incidences of drought: Western New
York faced a 43 percent crop yield loss on
average during the 2016 drought, making it the
hardest-hit region in New York State.
Challenges to the resilience of canal regions
and their economies go beyond climate
change. By connecting bodies of water that
had historically been isolated, the Canal
inadvertently created opportunities for aquatic
invasive species to easily spread from the
Great Lakes through New York waterways,
undermining the natural ecosystem balance
and leading to consequences such as depleted
fish populations and the proliferation of
hydrilla and harmful algal blooms among
others. At the same time, canal infrastructure
has changed the natural flows of the Mohawk
River, disconnecting it from its tributaries
and significantly impacting the health of
the watershed as a whole. Such damage to
ecosystems ripples across local economies
as the number and quality of birding, fishing,
ecotourism, and boating opportunities
diminishes.
The size and scope of the Erie Canal make it a
powerful tool for shaping the future of upstate
communities. The Task Force’s findings offer
strategies to adaptively reuse the unique water
control systems that power the Erie Canal in
ways that anchor more resilient communities,
provide expanded and new recreational
opportunities, revive damaged ecosystems,
and improve quality of life for the 3.6 million
New Yorkers who live along its spine. In doing
so, the Task Force intends to set precedents
for reimagining yesterday’s infrastructure to
address the challenges of today and seize the
opportunities of tomorrow.
ERIE CANAL BACKGROUND | 22
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS
23 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS
INTRODUCTION
The Erie Canal cuts across 360 miles of New York
State - through major cities and small towns,
mountains, marshes, and farmland. The Canal’s
reach thus incorporates areas with strikingly
different needs, topographies, and ecosystems:
what is important to Rochester is likely less
important to Rome, or to the dozens of
smaller villages through which the Canal and
Mohawk River pass. Indeed three separate and
relatively distinct watersheds comprise the
Erie portion of the NYS Barge Canal system:
a man-made channel in the west (emptied for
maintenance in the winter), the central portion
(encompassing both man-made and riverine
stretches), and the Mohawk River Valley in
the east. Each watershed is characterized by
unique forms of infrastructure necessary to
support the waterway’s integrity and use.
Rome, NY
25 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Reflecting this geographic and economic
diversity, the Reimagine Task Force was
undertaken in plenary as well as in three
regional subcommittees: the Mohawk
subcommittee, the Central subcommittee,
and the Western subcommittee. Multiple
subcommittee meetings were held to develop
findings relevant to the challenges and
opportunities in these respective regions.
The Task Force subsequently came together
as a group to debate the findings of these
subcommittees. These deliberations, and the
ultimate findings of the Task Force as a whole,
are summarized in the sections that follow.
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 26
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS

THE WESTERN
REGION

The Western region is loosely anchored by two Canal. Farmers with property adjacent to the
of New York’s largest cities, Buffalo in the west Canal or streams have the option of siphoning
and Rochester in the east, but is largely rural. water from the system for seasonal irrigation
In this region, the Erie Canal is entirely a man- when it is available.
made channel supported by earthen berms
with a uniform width and depth (unlike other Western New York also boasts some of
regions where the Canal is mainly ‘riverine’ and the best recreational fishing in the State, a
manipulates the flows of a river). Small streams main driver of tourism in this largely rural
flow north to Lake Ontario, which is 270 feet area. Flows from canal waste weirs enhance
lower than the man-made waterway. They conditions in the tributaries running north
serve as an outlet for many of the Canal’s 16 to Lake Ontario - particularly in October
Brockport, NY waste weirs, which are gates raised or lowered or November, when the Canal is emptied.
to maintain water levels in the Canal and to Brown-trout fishermen and others overwhelm
empty it during the winter for maintenance. available lodging during this brief window in
time.
Western Region To Lake Ontario Water from the western portion of the Canal
is used for purposes other than recreational
MEDINA
boating - most notably for agriculture. For
example, Orleans County, which is bisected
LOCKPORT
GENESEE RIVER by the Canal, boasts a robust agricultural
economy: it has the second-highest annual
BROCKPORT
ROCHESTER revenue from vegetable production and the
FAIRPORT third highest from fruit production in the
TONAWANDA State. This high-value crop production is in
To Syracuse
part driven by fertile soils and temperature
moderation by Lake Ontario, but it is also
PITTSFORD
To influenced by the ability to irrigate via the
Buffalo
and
Lake
Erie

N TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 28


2016 New York State
Summer Drought Conditions
43% average
crop loss
Extreme drought
Moderate drought
Severe drought
Abnormally dry
THE WESTERN REGION
Expanding Irrigation
The idea of using canal water to expand
irrigation originated from a proposal by
Dr. Stephen Shaw of SUNY’s School of
Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF),
submitted during the Reimagine the Canals
competition in 2017. While the proposal was
not one of the two financial winners of the
competition, the jury determined that the
short-listed idea merited further study. Dr.
Shaw was retained as a consultant to better
understand current irrigation usage as well as
the potential value and feasibility of bringing
canal water to a larger population of farmers
in this region in the future.
Dr. Shaw’s report concluded that the
opportunity to use canal water for irrigation is
largely untapped, and that canal water could
be feasibly used to combat drought and the
vagaries of climate change. Once supplied
with a reliable source of water during the
season, western farms may be able to shift
from low-value crops (like feed corn and
soybeans) to high-value crops (like apples,
berries and vegetables).
29 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Dr Shaw’s report noted that:
• While New York is a relatively wet place
with abundant rainfall on an annual basis,
even brief periods of dry weather between
rain events can significantly affect the yield
and quality of crops.
• There is no readily available alternative
water supply. Western New York has
very limited groundwater, and using the
municipal water supply for irrigation would
quickly exceed the capacity of the water
distribution system.
• Agricultural production can be sensitive
to even brief rain-free periods during the
season, especially in the case of fruits
and vegetables. With only five percent of
agricultural land in the region irrigated,
the majority of farmers are susceptible
to drought. For instance, 2016 saw the
worst drought in two generations, dealing
a massive blow to Western New York’s
farmers.1
• There is general consensus that the
frequency of high-temperature, rain-free
periods is likely to increase between 2020
and 2050, and that irrigation could serve as
an important resilience measure in an area
facing increasing periods of drought.
• Absent irrigation, farmers have a difficult
time growing high-value crops such as
apples and vegetables. These crops require
a significantly higher investment in time and
labor than low-value crops like feed-corn
and soybeans, hence a guaranteed water
supply is crucial for farmers to commit the
investment needed to grow apples and
vegetables.
• An increase in high-value crop production
not only increases total revenue for farms,
but employs more people and has a
ripple effect on the food packaging and
distribution industries. Unirrigated feed-
corn yields approximately $600 per acre,
whereas a well-managed apple orchard
can result in anywhere between $10,000 to
$20,000 per acre for farmers.
• Southwest Michigan exemplifies a region
similar to Western New York that has
benefited significantly from expanding
irrigation. Between 1982 and 2013, irrigated
acreage more than doubled from 175,000
acres to 352,000 acres; acreage of
blueberries increased by 200 percent and
vegetables by 54 percent. Today, the value
of crops per acre in Southwest Michigan is
almost double that of the rest of the state.
Dr. Shaw and members of the BuroHappold
team carried out a series of interviews in the
fall of 2018 at 12 farms in Orleans and Monroe
Counties. While farmers almost universally
expressed an interest in expanded access
to water, two major barriers were identified:
(1) irrigation infrastructure can be a large
capital expense, and investments associated
with higher-value crops are even higher
(specialized equipment, labor, etc.) and (2)
farmers were unwilling to make such a large
capital investment unless guaranteed a reliable
water source during the critical season. While
the Canal Corporation today issues permits
to farms for siphons to convey water from the
Canal into streams, there is no guarantee that
1 On average, farmers lost 43 percent of their crops. Losses
on vegetable farms were even higher, almost 60 percent.
water will be present in those streams during
summer’s low-flow months, when farmers
need it the most. Farmers surveyed knew little
about the policies of the Canal Corporation
in relation to water distribution, making them
hesitant to commit to large-scale investments
in irrigation infrastructure.
This research was presented to the Task Force
Subcommittee and then to the full Task Force.
There was consensus that irrigation should be
expanded given the value it offers to farmers,
local economies, and the State as a whole. Task
Force members emphasized the importance
of moving forward with this initiative quickly,
given forecasts of increasing frequency
of drought in the area, and recommended
developing a ‘smarter’ water management
system that would have the ability to better
monitor flows in streams and adjust them
more frequently to respond to both weather
conditions and the use of water by farmers.
The findings by the Task Force are as follows:
• Enhance communication between
irrigation users and Canal Corporation
managers
• Identify water management programs
to regulate water releases into streams
as needed for irrigation, including
implementation of smart metering
• Assess viability of, and parameters for,
an “irrigation district” or other advisory
entity to oversee water management
associated with irrigation
• Develop a grant program to incentivize
farms to invest in equipment needed to
utilize Canal water
• Identify methods to ensure that
agricultural needs are coordinated
with other Canal Corporation capital
investments on the Canal
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 30

THE WESTERN REGION
Enhancing Recreational Fisheries
Western New York is a popular recreational
fishing destination for trout and salmon in
New York State, partly due to the impact of
the Canal’s release of water into tributary
streams of Lake Ontario. In similar fashion
to the way DEC stocks fish in Lake Ontario,
there is potential to enhance existing angling
opportunities in these streams by providing
more predictable fish runs; this would attract
many more anglers to the region.
Currently, water is released into north-flowing
streams from the Canal either to maintain
water levels needed for navigation or at the
end of the season when the Canal is drained.
These releases are episodic, but do have some
ancillary benefits - most notably in encouraging
fish to enter these streams from Lake Ontario
and thus creating angling hot spots on a few
north-flowing streams fed by the Canal when it
is drained each fall. The irregularity of releases
is not optimum for fish habitat in these streams;
it also creates unpredictable angling conditions
and limits anglers’ ability to plan trips during
the most productive angling periods.
31 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
• sustaining elevated base flows in the north- The findings by the Task Force are follows:
flowing streams during the summer months
would provide optimal conditions for fish • Develop, in conjunction with Department
to run upstream from Lake Ontario and of Environmental Conservation, a program
promote natural reproduction for summer and fall release of canal water
• because streams in this area have limited into specific tributaries
fishing access, public fishing access along • Work with local communities and
these streams should be expanded to Department of Environmental
ensure that enhanced flows do not result in Conservation to increase public fishing
crowding that would negatively affect the access and amenities on private property
fishing experience along the tributaries
• a new water management regime designed • Deploy water management strategy
to support recreational fishing will not affect that includes flow and water quality
current recreational boating activity on the monitoring
Canal and will be able to support increased • Work with Department of Environmental
flows for expanded irrigation Conservation to conduct basin stream
biology assessments to analyze impacts of
The outcomes of the focus group meeting additional water releases into tributaries
and technical analysis were presented to • Develop a website or other mechanism
the Task Force. There was consensus among to provide flow-release information to
the group that a longer fishing season and anglers and tourism entities
more robust fish habitat would help increase
Recreational fishing on
the Oak Orchard Creek
ecotourism spending on lodging, meals, tackle,
and other support businesses, and that the
State should endorse any water management
regime changes. Task Force members asked
to make sure that the overall ecological impact
Ron Bierstine, a Task Force member and owner from augmenting flows is assessed, and
of Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge, helped that expanding access along these streams
convene a focus group with five licensed includes a commitment to improve the
NYS fishing guides, Orleans County Tourism amenities available to anglers (parking, toilets,
Director and County legislators, as well as etc.).
DEC regional managers to brainstorm ways
in which recreational angling opportunities
can be enhanced using canal water. Thomas
McDonald, Dam Safety Manager at NYPA and
a licensed fishing guide, facilitated this session Western Region Canal and Streams
and assisted the group in understanding the
feasibility of various possible interventions.
To Lake Ontario OAK ORCHARD SANDY
There was general consensus among CREEK CREEK
stakeholders and supporting technical
consultants that: MEDINA
LOCKPORT
• modifying the Canal’s water management
regime could help enhance recreational BROCKPORT
ROCHESTER
fishing opportunities
• the period when the Canal is drained at
the end of the navigation season could be
extended and optimized in order to prolong
To To Syracuse
the recreational fishing season in the fall, Lake
Erie
distribute fish into area tributaries more
uniformly, and attract more anglers to the
region for better and more predictable fishing
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 32
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS
THE CENTRAL
REGION
The Central region presents some of the most
promising opportunities to expand tourism
along the Erie Canal. It is home to some of the
busiest locks on the entire NYS Barge Canal
system, thanks to recreational traffic moving
seasonally between the Finger Lakes, Oneida
Lake, and Lake Ontario. The Finger Lakes,
including Cayuga and Seneca, already attract
tourists with their breweries, distilleries, and
vineyards, and serve as a hub for localized
recreational boating. Syracuse, Ithaca and
Seneca Falls, NY many smaller college towns in the area draw in
tens of thousands of young people during the
academic year.
To Lake Ontario
While new forms of tourism have proved a
Central Region
OSWEGO Oneida Lake boon to local economies, this same area faces
CANAL BREWERTON
ROME substantial ecological challenges - in part
BALDWINSVILLE
the legacy of moves made to expand the
Erie Canal over time. The Erie Canal’s first
iteration consisted of a channelized canal
LYONS
To Utica that ran through Syracuse, south of Oneida
SYRACUSE
Lake. However, the marshy areas north of the
Finger Lakes were poorly suited to the needs
To Rochester of an expanded, industrial-sized canal; as a
result, the Canal in the Central region was
SENECA FALLS
CAYUGA-SENECA
CANAL
N Seneca Lake Cayuga Lake
rerouted north to its current location to take
advantage of and utilize existing waterbodies
such as Oneida Lake and the Clyde River. 1
The construction of the Canal in the 20th
century impacted the region’s ecosystem in
several ways. Wetlands were partially drained,
including those associated today with the
Montezuma Wildlife Refuge complex, a crucial
stopover point for more than one million
migratory birds annually along the Atlantic
Flyway. In addition, the Canal channelized
natural rivers and separated streams from
their floodplains. Designers of this section
cleverly connected multiple watersheds
for freight passage – never imagining that
this would over time facilitate the spread of
aquatic invasive species from the Great Lakes
and the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers into New
York waters, and thus alter the ecosystems
of the Finger Lakes and other local water
bodies.
1 Today this region of the NYS Barge Canal also includes
the Oswego Canal, a riverine canal that links the Erie
Canal with Lake Ontario via the Oswego River, and the
Cayuga-Seneca Canal, a riverine canal along the Seneca
River that connects Cayuga and Seneca Lakes to each
other and to the Canal.
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 34
Wetland expansion opportunities
THE CENTRAL REGION
Restoring and Expanding Wetlands
Wetlands traditionally serve a variety of
ecological functions, including providing
habitat for many species and storing and
filtering vast quantities of stagnant or slow-
moving water from naturally-overflowing
waterways. The Central region of the Erie
Canal is home to three major wetland
complexes: the Montezuma wetlands, Galen
Marsh (known locally as the Marengo Swamp),
and Rome Sand Plains. While these wetlands
are now largely protected as federal and state
lands and conservation areas, their volume and
utility was impaired during the Barge Canal’s
construction. Channelization of natural rivers
isolated them from their water sources and led
to a reduction in the natural water table; new
canal infrastructure, such as locks and dams,
blocked waterways and trapped nutrients
and silt - the movement of which is critical to
wetland health.
35 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Today, there are opportunities to enhance
and expand these wetlands by coordinating
their management with that of the Canal and
by restoring hydrologic connections between
former wetlands and the waterways that
once fed them.1 To that end, The Nature
Conservancy was commissioned to identify
and assess specific restoration opportunities.
In addition, David Klein, a wetlands expert
from The Nature Conservancy, facilitated
a focus group consisting of Department of
Environmental Conservation regional and
wildlife management area managers, a United
States Fish and Wildlife Service reserve
manager, Cornell University faculty, a Cornell
Cooperative Extension representative, and
two Task Force members (Neil Murphy from
SUNY-ESF and Chris Lajewski from the
Montezuma Audubon Center). The group
1 This idea originated from a short-listed submission in
the Reimagine the Canals competition in 2017 by Maria
Goula and Jamie Vanucchi of Cornell University and
Sandi Bastedo of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
confirmed that restoration opportunities exist The findings by the Task Force are follows:
at the Montezuma wetlands and Galen Marsh
(largely achievable by restoring floodways and • Identify specific opportunities for wetland
hydrologic connections) and that the Rome expansion in three key locations:
Sand Plains could potentially be expanded -- At Montezuma, study potential
beyond its current borders. The group also restoration of floodways, flowpaths,
noted the lack of regional coordination and creation of new hydrologic
between state/federal wetland managers connections
and Canal management, highlighting this as -- At Galen Marsh, study potential for
a challenge to overcome in order to facilitate enhancing flows in the Clyde River
future restoration efforts. -- At Rome Sand Plains, identify specific
opportunities for westward expansion
The outcomes of the focus group session of wetlands
and The Nature Conservancy analysis were • Develop preliminary designs and assess
presented to the Task Force subcommittee. cost, economic, environmental, and
Some members initially expressed concerns operational implications associated with
about the potential impact of wetlands restoration and expansion of wetlands in
restoration on property values and recreational targeted areas
navigation, however the subcommittee (and
subsequently the full Task Force) ultimately
reached a consensus that wetland restoration
and expansion has the potential to generate
substantial ecological and recreational benefits
without negatively impacting navigation or
other stakeholders. It was agreed that the
specific opportunities should be studied
further and that potential environmental
and economic impacts should be rigorously
evaluated.
Montezuma National
Wildlife Refuge
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 36
Canal watersheds
LAKE ONTARIO
OSWEGO RIVER
BARGE CANAL
CANAL WATERSHEDS
NATURAL WATERWAYS
MAN-MADE CONNECTIONS
NEW PATHS FOR INVASIVES
THE CENTRAL REGION
Preventing the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
An aquatic invasive species (AIS) is a
waterborne organism – fish, mollusk or
vegetation - that causes ecological or
economic harm in a new environment where
it is not native. AIS outcompete native species
for space and resources, destroying habitats,
reducing property values, and hindering
recreational activities such as fishing, boating,
swimming, and kayaking. Such damage to
ecosystems and infrastructure has ripple
effects across a local economy as the number
and quality of birding, commercial and
recreational fishing, and boating opportunities
diminish.1
AIS invasions can be facilitated when naturally-
separated watersheds become connected
through human interventions, as in the case of
the Erie Canal. In connecting the Hudson River
to the Great Lakes, the designers of the Canal
inadvertently created an “invasive species
1 In the Great Lakes, a hotbed for AIS from global
maritime shipping, it is estimated that $200 million per
year are lost to AIS.
37 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
CHAMPLAIN CANAL
MOWHAWK RIVER
SENECA RIVER
HUDSON RIVER
superhighway.” Many invasive species have
already made their way into state waters, such
as water chestnut, a plant that forms thick
nets that hinder navigation and lower property
values, and zebra mussels, which create
million-strong colonies that siphon nutrients
from water that native species need to survive
and that clog water conveyance infrastructure.
The threats from AIS are quite literally at the
doorstep (e.g., Asian carp in the Mississippi
River Basin but not yet the Great Lakes). Any
invasive species in the Great Lakes can, and
likely will, travel into the internal waters of
New York State, unless preventive measures
are taken.2
R2 Resource Consultants, a leading natural
resource consultant, was engaged to identify
ways canal infrastructure might be used to
stop AIS transport. The analysis was not
designed to address or consider the impacts
2 US Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study and
preliminary design of measures to prevent invasive
species from being conveyed via the Champlain Canal.
on navigation, property, or broader ecosystems
associated with these alternatives but rather
to examine the effectiveness of different AIS
deterrents using canal infrastructure itself. R2
engaged dozens of NYS DEC scientists, lake
association representatives, NGOs, research
organizations, and academics to better
understand: (1) AIS threats to state waters,
(2) the successes and failures of existing
mitigation efforts, and (3) potential deterrent
approaches.
The R2 report examined a range of
technologies, identified three alternatives,
and assessed their suitability for further study
based on effectiveness, cost, and permitting
feasibility. The approach recommended for
further study consisted of:
1. Hydrologic separation at Rochester to
protect the Finger Lakes and Oneida Lake
from invasive species coming from Lake
Erie
2. Hydrologic separation at Rome to protect
the Mohawk and Hudson River Estuary
from threats coming from the Great Lakes;
3. Piloting a boat lift/wash station in Oswego
to prevent threats moving from Lake
Ontario to Oneida Lake and the Finger
Lakes
4. Installation of a Bio-Acoustic Fish Fence
(BAFF) near Tonawanda, to deter Asian
carp flowing into the Canal from Lake Erie
Recognizing that “fail-safe” hydrologic
separation at Rochester and Rome would
impact navigation by requiring portage, “dry
lock,” or boat lift mechanisms, the Central
Region Subcommittee questioned the necessity
to undertake such comprehensive measures.
The consultants indicated that a variety of
technologies can deter the spread of AIS, but
that only hydrologic separation achieves the
highest levels of effectiveness. One Task Force
member questioned the potential economic
impact of complicating the journey for the
long-distance boaters who transit those two
points along the Canal.3 Another noted that
the Erie Canal has global recognition, and that
impacts on through-navigation could alter the
perception of the Canal, and hence its brand.
Other Task Force members noted that stopping
the spread of AIS has not only environmental
benefits, but also economic ones: NYS DEC
spends millions annually on mitigating the
impacts of invasive species that are already
in New York, in an effort to protect recreation,
property, water-dependent businesses, and the
broader ecosystem. Some questioned how the
State could justify not seizing the opportunity
to prevent the spread of invasive species,
given that the benefits of any Reimagine
investments would be at risk should invasive
species continue to spread. With one exception,
the Task Force members came to a general
consensus that ways of combatting invasive
species merit further evaluation and that both
alternatives proposed by the consultant and
others should be studied further – including
analyses of potential navigational impacts and
associated costs and benefits.4
The findings by the Task Force are follows:
• In cooperation with Department of
Environmental Conservation, further
study mechanisms for retrofitting canal
infrastructure to establish AIS cordon
points with potential locations in Rome,
Rochester and Oswego. This study will:
-- evaluate new technologies
-- assess impacts on through-navigation
and identify ways to mitigate them
-- calculate avoided environmental costs
-- identify any alternative or additional
locations
• Further evaluate, with Department of
Environmental Conservation, cost and
feasibility of a “bio-acoustic fish fence”
(BAFF/SILAS) or similar technologies to
deter Asian carp near Tonawanda
• Coordinate with the US Army Corps
of Engineers and Department of
Environmental Conservation on existing
AIS mitigation efforts on the Champlain
Canal
3 Initial estimates using Canal Corporation data for lock
traffic indicate that only 24 percent of boats (5,100) go
through locks, and only a small fraction of those would
be impacted by the recommended approach.
4 The representative from the Erie Canal National
Heritage Corridor expressed his opposition to further
study of the issue as recommended by the remaining
Task Force members.
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 38
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS

THE MOHAWK
REGION

The Mohawk River Valley, reaching from
Rome in central New York to Waterford on
the Hudson River, includes some of New York
State’s most disadvantaged communities. Once
home to a thriving industrial manufacturing
sector, post-industrialization in the region
has led to significant economic decline. The
region also suffers from chronic flooding – a
function of many factors, both natural and
man-made – which undermines property
values. Despite these challenges, there are
Bellamy Harbor Park,
Rome, NY
signs of regeneration across the region.
Schenectady, Little Falls, and Utica now boast
new waterfront developments; a number of
other Mohawk towns and cities have recently
Oneida Lake Mohawk Region been selected as winners of the Downtown
ROME Revitalization Initiative (DRI), which provides
To Lake Champlain recipients funding towards economic and
community development.
Creek. In places, the Canal is a man-made
channel that runs parallel to the river, cutting
the river off from its northern tributaries; in
others it runs within it and manipulates its
flows and depth. Construction of the NYS
Barge Canal in 1918 ‘canalized’ (i.e., made into a
canal) the eastern section of the River with the
help of movable dams and locks; these dams
permit Mohawk water levels to be increased
during the navigation season (10-12 feet) to
allow for the passage of commercial barges
and then returned to normal (4-6 feet) in the
winter. The riverine nature of this section of
the Canal presented the Task Force with an
unusual set of challenges and opportunities
revolving primarily around potential strategies
to address flooding.

LITTLE FALLS From a water perspective, the Mohawk River

UTICA CHAMPLAIN
CANAL is the largest tributary of the Hudson River,
with a total length of 155 miles and a drainage
AMSTERDAM
area of 3,462 square miles. Major Mohawk
N
tributaries include West Canada Creek, East
Canada Creek, Oriskany Creek, and Schoharie
CANAJOHARIE

SCHENECTADY
ALBANY Hudson
River
To New York City TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 40

THE MOHAWK REGION
Mitigating Ice Jams
Ice jams are perhaps the most unique
phenomenon native to this stretch of the
Canal. Whereas flooding typically happens
during springtime melts of snowpack or during
heavy rainfall events at other times of the year,
ice jams generate flood risk to Mohawk River
communities during the winter. They typically
occur when warming temperatures and heavy
rains cause snow and ice to melt rapidly. As
river waters rise and river discharge increases,
the surface layer of ice breaks into chunks that
are carried downstream by the rushing waters;
the chunks lodge against one another, pushing
river water into communities adjacent to the
jams and causing significant structural and
environmental damage, as well as health and
safety risks.
On behalf of the Task Force, BuroHappold,
with technical assistance from NYPA,
convened an Ice Jam Mitigation Panel to
review the historical ice jam-related flood
events in the Mohawk River, identify changes
in climate and river conditions contributing to
41 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
The Ice Jam Panel considered ten potential
interventions and recommended four for
further analysis, noting that more modeling
work and/or further analysis would need to
be done to determine the specifics of each
intervention as well as their combined impact:
1. Using specialized ice breakers/cutters to
physically break up ice jams in hotspot
areas
2. Modifying the Vischer Ferry Dam crest to
better manage water flows, and potentially
“flush out” ice jams
3. Modifying the Mohawk River channel
through dredging and filling activities to
alleviate choke points to water flow which
contribute to ice jam formation
4. Deploying an Early Monitoring and
Warning System that will better predict
ice jam formation and flooding, providing
communities and emergency managers
more lead time to prepare for flood events
Ice jam at Lock E- 8,
near Schenectady, NY
These potential interventions were presented
to the Mohawk Region subcommittee and
subsequently to the full Task Force by Dr.
Garver of Union College and endorsed by all.
A number of Task Force members who live in
future ice jam formation, and determine ways the Mohawk Valley stressed the importance of
that canal and NYPA infrastructure could be mitigating ice jams, not only for the hardest-
used to reduce or eliminate this threat. The hit areas around the Stockade District in
Panel was comprised of representatives from Schenectady but also for other areas such as
the Canal Corporation, NYPA, US Geological Herkimer and Little Falls. They also noted that
Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the current warning system is ineffective, as
academic experts - including Task Force emergency managers cannot forecast when
member Dr. John Garver of Union College.
A bathymetric survey of the ice jam-prone
areas was commissioned by NYPA and used
by Dr. Hung Tao Shen of Clarkson University, a
global expert in ice jam hydraulics, to develop
a highly-sophisticated ice jam model which
allowed Panel members to better assess
both the causes of ice jams and the impact of
various potential solutions.1
1 Prior to this survey, NYPA/the Canal Corporation had Ice jam-related flooding
only rudimentary surveys of the bathymetry of the area, in the Stockade District,
rendering any predictive modeling extremely limited. Schenectady, NY
ice jam flooding is going to occur. Enhancing
this system to better forecast these events
and warn people in advance would be a
significant benefit for communities.
The findings by the Task Force are follows:
• In conjunction with NYS Office of
Emergency Management, US Geological
Survey, and the National Weather
Service, develop an Early Warning
System (EWS) for ice jams in the lower
Mohawk and identify an approach for
developing similar system to address ice
jams in Herkimer County
• Assess alternative designs, and
recommend one or more approaches,
for modifying Vischer Ferry Dam with
Obermeyer gates (pneumatically-
actuated crest gates) to maximize
reduction in ice jam and summer
flooding impacts
• Assess (and subsequently recommend)
potential river channel modifications
to mitigate ice jams, including
considerations of negative or positive
impacts on summer flooding and the
environment
• Further quantify effects of using
ice breakers/cutters, including any
downstream impacts, and identify
appropriate equipment/deployment
locations
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 42

THE MOHAWK REGION
Mitigating Summer Flooding
Mohawk River flooding is documented back to
the 17th century, but the ‘canalization’ of the
River in the 20th century is generally agreed
to have exacerbated the problem by placing
additional structures in the river.1 In recent
times, Hurricane Irene (August 2011) and
Tropical Storm Lee (September 2011) wreaked
havoc in areas around Schenectady and
Amsterdam, wiping out bridges and destroying
homes; Fort Plain and Canajoharie were flooded
in July 2006 and June 2013. Most recently,
heavy rains in late-October 2019 caused
record-level flooding in Little Falls and Utica.
Climate predictions suggest that the frequency
of floods in this region will double over the next
two decades, and that the magnitude of floods
will increase by 15 to 20 percent.
Bergmann Associates, an engineering
consultancy with expertise in Mohawk River
flood mitigation, was contracted to identify
1 Although historic preservation focus is on the building
and use of the Erie Canal, Task Force members noted
the rich history of Native Americans and colonial settlers
using the Mohawk River before it was industrialized.
43 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
3 Channelization improvements:
Using portions of the Canal where the
Mohawk and the Canal are bifurcated
(around Little Falls, Herkimer, and between
Rome and Utica) as surge basins during
floods, in order to reduce peak flows in the
Mohawk River to mitigate flooding in those
areas.
Bergmann presented these findings to the
Task Force, noting that several of the potential
interventions would impact water levels on
the Mohawk portion of the Canal. These
interventions would not, however, impact the
majority of local, recreational boaters.
The Mohawk Region Task Force Subcommittee
met multiple times to discuss Bergmann’s
potential solutions. Some members welcomed
the ability to adapt canal infrastructure to
tackle flooding issues related to climate change
and capture the ecosystem benefits that result
Fort Plain, NY, June 2006
from ‘naturalizing’ a river; others were opposed
to interventions that could impact the ability
of deep-draft vessels to navigate the Mohawk.
It was noted that moving to a more natural
potential interventions to reduce flood risk, Mohawk River would not eliminate flooding, but
model these interventions to assess their would contribute significantly to reducing its
benefits, and provide associated cost estimates. effects. It was also noted that the interventions
Bergmann assessed a wide variety of solutions, that would have the highest flood mitigation
then undertook analysis of six interventions impact would also have significant ecosystem
that fell into three categories: benefits. Other Task Force members noted that
any intervention that affects water levels in
1 Infrastructure modifications: the Mohawk could impact businesses (such as
Modifying Vischer Ferry Dam’s crest marinas, restaurants, and shops), since deep-
by adding gates that can be lowered draft long-distance boaters spend more heavily
preemptively during a flood to convey water than local boaters and would be forced to shift
downstream, reducing water levels in the to the Champlain stem of the NYS Barge Canal
Canal and thus mitigating flooding around system to access the Great Lakes from the
Schenectady. Hudson.
2 Operational changes:
a. Reducing the summer water level in Subcommittee members were curious to know
Delta Reservoir (that feeds water to the more about the flood resilience efforts that the
Mohawk River) to provide additional Canal Corporation had undertaken to date. It
water retention storage, mitigating was noted that after Hurricane Irene, the Canal
flooding in and downstream of Rome. Corporation retrofitted movable dams in the
b. Raising movable dams either (a) Mohawk so they could be preemptively raised
preemptively (prior to storms), or (b) during a flood event to reduce water levels.
permanently to allow the Mohawk River However, this has not proved to be effective
to flow at its natural (lower) water level. because the Canal Corporation requires at least
two days’ notice before a storm to alert boaters
on the system; the forecasting system rarely
provides that amount of advance notice and
is subject to inherent uncertainties in weather
forecasting.
Collectively, the Task Force recognized the
value that flood reduction opportunities
present, but did not come to a consensus as to
how best to balance the goals of maximizing
flood mitigation and maintaining navigability
for deep-draft (long-distance) boaters. The
Task Force accordingly recommended further
evaluation of economic and environmental
costs, benefits, opportunities, and impacts,
before a decision is made to pursue one or
more interventions.
Members also asked that further work be done
to consider compromise positions, such as
reducing the depth of the Canal to maintain
navigation and limiting full or partial draft
navigation to a shorter navigation season. The
Task Force agreed that the existing forecasting
system needs to be improved to allow
communities and NYS agencies to better plan
for flood events.
The findings by the Task Force are follows:
• Further evaluate the following
interventions to use Canal infrastructure
to mitigate flooding in the Mohawk River,
including assessing positive and negative
impacts on navigation, local communities
and businesses, and the environment:
-- modification of Vischer Ferry Dam
crest
-- changes to Delta Reservoir operating
water levels
-- creation of in-channel stormwater
retention basins and diversions
(between Utica and Rome, Lock E-16
and MD 12, and Lock E-18 and MD 14)
-- changes to movable dam operations
• Investigate the impact and value
of enhancing the Flood Warning
Optimization System (FWOS) on flood
forecasting and Canal operations
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 44

Mohawk River tributaries and the Erie Canal
Delta Reservoir
ROME
Oneida Lake
THE MOHAWK REGION
Restoring Tributary Connections
with the Mohawk River
The Mohawk River was substantially altered
by the Erie Canal’s construction. Between
Rome and Frankfort, the Canal was built
parallel to the River, which had the effect of
intercepting Mohawk tributaries prior to their
connection to the main stem of the River. This
isolated the Mohawk River from over a third
of its watershed and undermined its natural
flow, impacting water levels, quality, and
temperature as well as fish connectivity. The
Nature Conservancy was asked to evaluate
the potential to restore the River’s watershed
and riparian ecosystems in this reach by
reconnecting the disconnected tributaries to
the River’s main stem.
The Nature Conservancy concluded that the
impact of reconnecting tributaries could be
45 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
This research was presented to the Task The findings by the Task Force are follows:
Force to consider. While concerns were
raised about the strategy’s incompatibility • Evaluate options for a tributary
with the maintenance of high water reconnection pilot that has minimal
levels (i.e., deep-draft navigation) in this impact on existing Canal operations
reach of the Canal, the long-term nature • Determine whether tributary
and complex mechanics of this suite of reconnections align with the future
interventions was also recognized. There hydrologic state and management
was a consensus that the strategy could regime of the Canal System
have significant ecotourism and ecological • If so, study the feasibility, ecological,
benefits, but that its implementation should operational and economic impact of
be contingent on other Task Force findings. In tributary reconnections
acknowledgement of this contingency, further
study was recommended, beginning with an
UTICA evaluation of pilot reconnection opportunities
that have minimal impact on water levels and
navigation.
To Schenectady
FRANKFORT
profound, and identified potential reconnection
opportunities using aerial imagery. Identifying
these potential ‘reconnection reaches’
allowed the Conservancy to evaluate their
feasibility, assuming a future scenario in
which this stretch of the Canal is largely
naturalized. Given the nascence and
complexity of restoration techniques, the
Conservancy conceived of a phased approach
that would start conservatively with the
simplest reconnections and progress to
those of increasing ecosystem complexity
and ecological benefit. This implementation
sequence was recommended to allow the
lead agency to develop experience with such
restoration practices and build trust with other Healthy riparian
stakeholders. corridors
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 46
TASK FORCE FINDINGS

SYSTEM-WIDE
PLACEMAKING AND
ACTIVATION
Over the last 50 years, upstate New York has seen a Bellamy Harbor Park,
Rome, NY
SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING

decline in economic activity concurrent with a decline in Operational Improvements

industrial manufacturing and shipping. Once an engine
of New York State’s economic growth, today’s upstate A series of recommended operational • Finish building out a comprehensive set of
improvements were identified over the course trail amenities: The Canal and the Empire
communities are uniformly smaller than being of upstate residents through expanding of Task Force deliberations. These priorities State Trail should be seen as two parts of one
they were a century ago – though they access to outdoor recreation. emerged from discussions among Task Force network. Completion of the Empire State Trail
remain centers of education, health care and members, reports and presentations submitted highlights the need for more trail amenities
government among other industries. Despite Task Force findings aim to capitalize on the by subject matter experts, letters from canal to activate it, connect it to the waterway, and
historic declines in manufacturing industry once momentum that recent state initiatives have constituents, stakeholder focus groups, ensure that it appeals to a broad audience
situated along the Canal, population remains set in motion. The Empire State Trail is close and the Rockefeller Institute’s community that includes local families and youth as well
concentrated along the waterways: roughly 80 to completion - realizing the vision of an engagement events and online platform. as visitors.
percent of New York’s upstate population lives interconnected, state-wide, multi-modal trail • Establish better coordination between
within 25 miles of the four canals that comprise system. New York’s Downtown Revitalization The Task Force found that the Canal entities that have a stake in the Canal:
the NYS Barge Canal system. Initiative, Restore NY, and Local Waterfront Corporation should: With different geographies and hydrologic
Revitalization Program among others now • Serve the needs of existing constituencies conditions across its length, the Canal has
The Reimagine the Canals effort seeks to provide well-organized funding opportunities while appealing to new ones: The NYS many stewards and champions. Enhanced
reverse this long-term decline in population and to help reinvigorate downtowns and waterfront Barge Canal system is widely used by coordination between municipalities, state
offers recommendations to stabilize and grow communities, while Taste NY and I LOVE NY recreational boaters and residents of agencies, non-profits, business owners and
upstate communities and economies. The Task represent marketing efforts that champion canalside communities. Given the presence residents is required to ensure that resources
Force has identified strategies that will use the New York’s products and destinations. The of so many universities across the Erie spine, are well-prioritized and that organizations are
Canal and its companion trail as a catalyst to operational improvements and activation there is an opportunity to expand the Canal’s not competing with one another for them.
support local populations, introduce novel forms opportunities outlined below should be viewed user base to younger and more diverse • Enhance ties to educational institutions
of waterfront development to improve quality as complementary to these efforts, focusing populations. More active forms of outdoor to celebrate the Canal’s history, reimagine
of life, promote economic development through on ways the Canal itself might accelerate and water-based recreation and cultural its future, and engage its ecology: Upstate
tourism that activates canalside properties and revitalization efforts. programming were two of many ways New York is rich in academic institutions,
destinations, and improve the health and well- identified to attract a younger demographic. many of which grew around expertise

47 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 48


developed during the Canal’s construction.
Universities and colleges along the Canal
corridor can be incubators for new projects,
ideas and programs to transform the Canal
corridor, while local schools can be tied
more closely to the waterway as a source of
experiential and academic learning.
• Maximize connectivity between the
Empire State Trail, New York State
Canalway Water Trail, and adjacent
communities: More connections – bridges,
pathways, and access points between the
trails, canal, and local communities – are
needed to expand recreational usage,
improve quality of life, and ensure that
local businesses capture benefits from an
expanded user base.
• Address the issue of water quality to
maximize recreational possibilities and
support municipalities who draw drinking
water from the Canal: Canal infrastructure
presents unique opportunities to cost-
effectively introduce new forms of water
recreation. Without clean and healthy water,
however, the benefits of these facilities will
be limited and ultimately undermined.
49 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Waterford, NY
• Enhance the branding, image, and
advertising for the Canal System: The New
York State Canal System is a historical gem,
but is largely unknown in the US outside
certain niche audiences. A coordinated
branding and communications strategy is
needed to draw additional visitors from
other parts of the country and expand the
number of foreign visitors.
• Find ways of increasing revenue, including
considering the use of lockage fees: Use
of the Erie Canal is free to long-distance
boaters, many of whom consider it a “short-
cut” to get from New York to the Great
Lakes (without having to travel through the
St. Lawrence Seaway) and all of whom pay
tolls or usage fees elsewhere. Separately,
considerable land along the Canal not
needed for operational purposes lies fallow
and could be developed. These and other
revenue opportunities should be pursued
to help offset the cost of maintaining the
Canal.
Cayuga Lake
SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING
whitewater course
Expanding Water Recreation
at Lock CS-1
The Canal’s extensive early 20th century at the top of Cayuga Lake adjacent to the
water management infrastructure offers Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, an
unique opportunities for 21st century forms outdoor “water park” along the Mohawk
of water recreation – e.g., swimming, fishing, River in Utica, a float course and winter ice
kayaking, rafting, floating, ice-skating, and park adjacent to Bellamy Park in Rome, and
Existing conditions paddleboarding in addition to motorized the expansion of waterskiing activities in
boating. Access to water recreation in all of its Amsterdam. These and other opportunities
forms can help create world-class destinations, that build on the expanding popularity of
enhance quality of life in local communities, recreational water uses should be evaluated.
and offer youth—as well as people of all
ages and abilities—the chance to learn new Task Force Findings:
skills and stay healthy. New recreational
opportunities can build on the New York State • Develop new water recreation
Canalway Water Trail, which runs alongside destinations to attract a more diverse
the Empire State Trail for much of its length audience to the Canal and enhance health
and incorporates 524 miles of interconnected and well-being
canals, lakes, and rivers.
The Task Force discussed various locations for
new water-based recreational opportunities,
among them a potential whitewater course
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 50
SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING
Celebrating “Iconic Infrastructure” Destinations
Much of the Canal System’s infrastructure is
unique to its place and time, and – like the
Erie Canal before it - represents the ambition
and prowess of the State’s engineering
heritage. These include locks, movable
dams, lift bridges, guard gates, reservoirs
and more. As part of the Erie Armada, a
multi-day festival and Reimagine the Canals
competition winner, Lock 30 near Macedon
Canal Park was transformed into an iconic
overnight destination; this included evening
cruises on the Colonial Belle canal boat to
experience a temporary lighting installation,
demonstrating a new model for after-dark
canal engagement.
Iconic and interactive lighting installations
represent one among many ways of
celebrating these historic structures, by
offering programming opportunities for local
communities and serving as an attraction for
tourists year-round. Lighting projects along
post-industrial waterways have contributed
51 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
to redevelopment in former industrial centers
across the globe – for example, Providence,
Rhode Island’s WaterFire festival or Central
Scotland’s 150-foot Kelpie sculptures. Like
the historic bridges found in European
capitals, the Canal offers the authenticity that
comes with experiencing historic waterway
infrastructure.
Task Force Findings:
• Invest in “iconic infrastructure”
destinations that celebrate the future by
drawing attention to the waterway’s past
and attracting local visitors and tourists
Hydro -powered illumination
of movable dams in the
Mohawk Valley
Existing conditions
Adaptive reuse of Guy Park SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING
Manor and new connection
Expanding Overnight Accommodation
to the Empire State Trail,
Amsterdam, NY
Overnight accommodation options along
the spine of the Erie Canal are at present
uneven – easy to find in the larger cities and
towns, but few and far between in smaller and
more rural locations. Enhancing the supply
Existing conditions of lodging options is one way to amplify
canalside tourism and expand the economic
benefits visitors bring to canalside towns.
Extending stays mean more engagement with
cultural and recreational assets, more traffic to
restaurants, and more support for a variety of
retail businesses – from canal tours to shops to
sporting outfitters.
Numerous paths to expanding these options
can be pursued simultaneously. Glampsites, a
combination of “glamour” and “camping,” offer
unique outdoor camping experiences and can
be established on state land along the Canal
or Empire State Trail in close proximity to
local businesses.1 For those looking to engage
with the Canal’s history, the adaptive reuse
of industrial and commercial buildings as
well as private residences offers considerable
appeal. Unused canal powerhouses, which
once provided hydropower to locks, provide
a particularly robust opportunity for
accommodation. They are located across
the Canal System, making them ideal for
long-distance travelers, and were built in a
uniform style, offering a distinct branding and
marketing opportunity.
Task Force Findings:
• Expand overnight accommodation, such
as camping, ‘glamping’ and adaptive reuse
of historic structures for hospitality
1 The Erie Armada, a multi-day festival and Reimagine
the Canals competition winner, featured glamping
tents designed by a Buffalo-based interior designer
and enabled festivalgoers to forgo cars and take full
advantage of the wide range of activities that the Erie
Armada offered.
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 52
SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING
Transforming Industrial Property
The properties along the Canal reflect
its industrial past, with underutilized or
abandoned warehouses and factories
occupying significant waterfront real estate.
These industrial areas are slowly starting to
be transformed with new types of businesses,
residences, and recreational opportunities.
By transforming the contaminated site of
the defunct American Locomotive Company
(ALCO) in Schenectady into a new marina,
casino, hotel, retail, offices, and homes, the
Mohawk Harbor project points the way
towards a vibrant, mixed-use future for the
revitalized canal waterfront. Smaller towns
have also seen waterfront transformations,
including the Residences at Canalside, which
extends Fairport’s walkable downtown, and
the continued investments made at Pittsford’s
Schoen Place, widely considered one of the
most charming spots on the entire Canal.
53 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
The Canal Corporation owns thousands of
acres of upstate land, and has historically
been willing to both grant permits and to
sell, lease, or transfer property to facilitate
new canalside projects. More can be done to
incentivize these transformations, building on
existing NYS programs such as the Downtown
Revitalization Initiative, BOA, Restore NY, and
a series of other grant programs now overseen
by the Regional Economic Development
Councils (REDCs) for each region. The
Canastota Pocket Neighborhood, a Reimagine
the Canals competition winner being
undertaken by Madison County, provides one
model; it will offer townhomes and cottages,
communal workspaces and gardens, walking
paths to nearby shops and restaurants, and
direct access to the Canal.
Task Force Findings:
• Facilitate canalside development on Canal
Corporation-owned land and other public
and private lands
“Pocket Neighborhood” Connecting the SYSTEM-WIDE PLACEMAKING
development, Canastota, NY College at Brockport to
the Empire State Trail
Connecting Communities to the Empire State Trail
When it is completed in 2020, the Empire – guard gates, movable dams, and other
State Trail will be the United States’ longest forms of water control infrastructure – can
multi-use trail, connecting Montreal with New be retrofitted to serve as the backbone for
York City and Albany with Buffalo. New York pedestrian and bike connections that do not
State has already committed $200 million currently exist.
to completing the project, which will include
Existing conditions Existing conditions “gateways” and “trailheads” replete with Task Force Findings:
amenities such as parking, picnic tables, and
self-service bicycle “fix-it” stations. The Trail’s • Connect local education, cultural and
smooth grade and ADA compliance will make community destinations to the Empire
it accessible to a wide array of visitors. State Trail
Yet connections between the Trail and the
communities through which it passes between
Albany and Buffalo remain uneven, and in
some places are convoluted or non-existent.
In Brockport, for example, the Trail along the
Canal runs opposite the College at Brockport,
but its students cannot access it directly.
Here and in other places, canal infrastructure
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 54
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS
THE FUTURE
Waterways have played a prominent role in societies
throughout time; indeed the industries they
fostered and the trade they facilitated form a large
part of the story of civilization. Across the
United States, vestiges of late nineteenth and
early twentieth-century canals, waterside
factories, and mills pay homage to the
industrial revolution that transformed a largely
unpopulated and unheralded place into a
global superpower. No example of this rich
history is more recognized than the man-
made Erie Canal, a symbol of the ingenuity,
determination and political will, that made our
nation.
In contrast to the silent mills, crumbling
dams, and remnants of canals that can today
be found in post-industrial towns across
America, the Erie Canal offers something
wholly unique: it is still functioning. Though
its mission as a commercial waterway is long
Interactive lighting
installations to connect to
the Empire State Trail
55 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
gone, its extraordinary network of robust
water control infrastructure can, as it was in
the early 20th century, be reimagined – and
adaptively reused to meet the 21st century
challenges that threaten upstate communities.
The Task Force’s findings identify just some of
the opportunities at hand: water for irrigation,
fishing, and ecological restoration, and
infrastructure for place-making and to combat
invasive species, ice jams, and flooding.
Undoubtedly, further reflection and study will
identify more.
As one member of the Task Force noted, the
question that confronts us is no longer “what
is the canal for?,” but rather “who is it for?”
The Task Force answered that question clearly,
in acknowledging that the waterway no longer
TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 56
 TASK FORCE FINDINGS

serves anonymous barges making their way
between New York City and the Great Lakes
markets but now needs to be deployed to
improve the lives of people in the communities
of upstate New York. This report sets the
stage for an ambitious reimagining of the
Canal as a local amenity and an attraction for
both old and new constituencies – a source of
newfound resilience, a pillar of cultural identity,
and an engine of economic development.
Though the direction of further ‘reimagining’
work is clear, the process of identifying and
then implementing the specific programs and
interventions that will bring most value to
communities will be challenging. Protecting
canalside towns from the ravages of climate
change will demand new ways of using the
State’s most precious resource – its water –
and new ways of operating the infrastructure
that carries it across the State. Maximizing
economic development in communities
abutting the Canal will require new and
different forms of investment than those that
have historically served to maintain the Canal
in its original state.
will new resources – for scientific studies, for
community engagement, and for the physical
interventions that this report has identified.
Adapting the Canal for the next century does
not mean walking away from its past. To the
contrary, addressing the challenges of climate
change, invasive species, and water quality
is perhaps the safest way to ensure that this
unique waterway recaptures its historic role as
an economic engine for those who live along
its path – strengthening local economies,
reducing vulnerability to flooding, protecting
and reviving ecosystems, and ensuring healthy
levels of investment across its reach. New
York has always been a national leader in
progressive and creative thinking: successfully
ushering in the “third coming” of the iconic
Erie Canal will provide a global example of how
the past can once again be put towards the
service of the future.

The issues are complex and technical,

and solutions are unlikely to be without
controversy due to the wide range of
stakeholders involved. Balancing the interests
of those who rely on the Canal for their health,
safety and quality of life – floodplain residents,
waterfront property owners, hikers and
boaters, fishermen and birders – with those
who rely on it for business – developers and
retailers, tour companies and marina operators
– will not be easy. Thoughtful collaboration
and inclusive discussion at a scale much wider
than that undertaken by the Task Force will be
required over the coming years. Compromises
will need to be found and agreed upon; so too

Potential walkway across

the Waterford Flight

57 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS TASK FORCE FINDINGS | 58

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Reimagine the Canals Task Force would like to
extend special thanks to a diverse group of people
and organizations, without whom this report could
not have been accomplished.
The Rockefeller Institute at the State
University of New York ably mounted and
delivered a comprehensive program of
outreach to canal stakeholders, led by Laura
Schultz and Robert Magna, during the
summer of 2019. In addition to organizing five
public workshops across the Canal corridor,
the Institute hosted an online platform for
the public to provide input and comments for
the future of the Canals. This robust public
engagement process was critical to ensuring
that a wide cross-section of voices were
heard by the Task Force. Additionally, the
Task Force would like to thank stakeholders
who participated in focus groups, generously
lending their expertise to relevant
discussions.
The work in this report relies in large part on
the skill and insight of technical consultants.
Dana Postlewait and MaryLou Keefe at R2
Resource Consultants performed a thorough
analysis of potential strategies to prevent
the spread of aquatic invasive species
through the Canal System. Dr. Hung Tao
Shen and Dr. Fengbin Huang at Clarkson
59 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
University and Dr. John Garver from Union
College lent their unique expertise in ice jam
hydrology to develop ice jam models based
on new bathymetric surveys of the Mohawk
Valley as members of the Ice Jam Mitigation
Panel. The rest of the ice Jam Mitigation
Panel participants included Stephen Couch
and Roman Rakoczy from the US Army Corps
of Engineers, Chandler Engel and Joseph
Rocks from Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory, Chris Gazoorian
from US Geological Survey, as well as experts
from NYPA and Canal Corporation. Kenneth
Avery and Jim Guistina from Bergmann
Associates and Bo Juza from Aquatrend, LLC
lent their extensive engineering expertise
with the Canal to identify potential strategies
to mitigate flooding in the Mohawk Valley.
Dr. Andrew Peck, Rebecca Shirer and Kristen
France at The Nature Conservancy identified
potential opportunities for restoring tributary
connections to the Mohawk River; The
Nature Conservancy’s David Klein identified
and assessed specific wetland restoration
opportunities. Dr. Steven Shaw at SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry
proposed the idea for using the Canal for
irrigation of western NY farms and then
studied the possibilities in great detail.
Thomas McDonald, a NYS Outdoor Fishing
Guide and Waterways Dam Safety Manager
at NYPA, developed strategies for enhancing
recreational fishing in Western New York.
Various staff members from New York State
agencies were appointed by their respective
commissioners to serve on the Task Force.
They provided valuable information on
existing state initiatives and knowledge to
the Task Force on various issues discussed.
These staff members included Brian Stratton
from the Canal Corporation, Matt Marko
from NYS Department of Environmental
Conservation, David Valesky from NYS
Department of Agriculture and Markets,
Sarah Crowell from NYS Department of
State, Ross Levi, Tamara Mayberry, Jim
Fayle and Daniel Kolinski from Empire State
Development, and Alane Ball-Chinian, Robert
Hiltbrand, Mark Mistretta, and Daniel Mackay
from NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and
Historic Preservation.
The SUNY College of Environmental Science
and Forestry, The College at Brockport,
the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the
Rockefeller Institute of Government, the
NYS Fairgrounds, Orleans County Tourism,
and Orleans County Cornell Cooperative
Extension generously provided space and
catering that facilitated multiple task force
meetings and stakeholder focus group
sessions.
Graphic support was provided by many
talented firms and individuals. The graphic
design and layout of this report document
was provided by Pure+Applied with the
talent of Paul Carlos and Ciara Mitchell.
Drone photography was provided by Lenny
Pridatko. Matthew Urbanski and Jack Ohly
at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
(MVVA) provided input on the concepts for
iconic destinations and creative adaptive
reuse of Canal infrastructure and generated
the rendering visualizations for these
concepts. Lighting design and visualization
was provided by Enrique Peiniger, Jean
Sundin, and Markus Fuerderer at the
Office for Visual Interaction. The Brockport
Loop bridge designs and visualization
were developed as part of a related pre-
feasibility study that included designs
by WXY Architecture and Urban Design,
SHoP Architects, CLUAA, and John Ronan
Architects as well as engineering support
from Davood Liaghat at BuroHappold
Engineering.
Stephanie Obkirchner from Amsterdam, NY
contributed the image on the back cover of
the report and the Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor shared the photograph of
the Albany Symphony’s 2017 Water Music
event in Amsterdam on pg. 20.
The work in this report could not have been
done without the expertise and cooperation
of the staff at the New York Power Authority
and the New York Canal Corporation, among
many others Gil Quiniones, Joseph Kessler,
Kimberly Harriman, Thomas McDonald,
Cindy Brady, Alex Brey, James Candiloro, Rob
Daly, Robert Knowlton, Peter Ludewig, Brian
Saez, Frank D’Eufemia, Chris Carey, Steve
Gosset, John Joyce, Erin Nolan, Randy Kreus,
Jeff Cohen, Darby Racey, Sharon Leighton,
Jackie Schillinger, Sasha Eisenstein, and most
notably Howard Goebel - whose decades of
experience with the Canals and dedication to
the Reimagine the Canals initiative has been
integral to this effort.
And, finally, for bringing together dozens of
stakeholders, managing multiple technical
consultants, and providing insights, ideas,
and enthusiasm, the Task Force would like to
thank the staff of its secretariat BuroHappold
Engineering, working under the direction
of Kate Ascher, including: Adam Friedberg,
Sabina Uffer, Alice Shay, Shivam Jumani, Josh
Margul, Ian Nicholson, David Bigio, Anna
Hippee, Samantha Fox, Huanyu Chen, and
Luyun “Aurora” Shao.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 60
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A

Technical Analysis and Sub-consultants

A wide group of sub-consultants, shown
below, were commissioned to undertake
technical analysis for each of the topics under
evaluation by the Task Force subcommittees.

Region Topic Consultant Report title

Mohawk Region Mitigating summer Bergmann Associates Mohawk Flood
flooding Assessment Report

Eliminating ice jams Ice Jam Mitigation Panel comprised of Ice Jams in the Mohawk
US Geological Service, US Army Corps of River Valley
Engineers, Dr. John Garver (Union College),
Dr. Hung Tao Shen and Dr. Fengbin Huang
(Clarkson University), Canal Corporation,
NYPA
Restoring previously The Nature Conservancy Restoring Tributary and
disconnected tributaries River Connections in the
to the Mohawk River Mohawk Valley

Central Region Preventing the spread of R2 Resource Consultants Erie Canal Aquatic
aquatic invasive species Invasive Deterrent Study
through the Canal System

Restoring and creating The Nature Conservancy Restoring Wetlands in the

wetlands Central New York Canal
Region

Western Region Expanding irrigation Dr. Stephen Shaw, SUNY’s College of Expanding Irrigation in
Environmental Science and Forestry Western New York Using
Canal Water

Enhancing recreational Thomas McDonald, NYPA Opportunities for

fishing Enhancing Recreational
Fishing in Western NY

Additionally, SUNY’s Rockefeller Institute of Government report on the community engagement process is available here.

Light installation and programming

61 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS at Erie Armada in Macedon, NY
APPENDICES
APPENDIX B
Stakeholder Meetings and Focus Groups
BuroHappold organized stakeholder
meetings, phone calls and focus groups
on specific topics to further explore the
concepts raised in the public workshop
sessions and garner input on opportunities
being addressed by the Task Force. A list
of people involved in these meetings and
related calls follows.
Water recreation
• Marie Cramer, Canal New York, Task
Force member
• Maureen Doyle, Central NY Waterways,
Task Force member
• Leslie Becraft-Corrigan, Winter Harbor
Marina, Task Force member
• Bruce Van Hise, Corn Hill Navigation/
Sam Patch Tours, Task Force member
• John Courain, Genessee Waterways
Center, Task Force member
• Kim Russo, America’s Great Loop Cruisers’
Association
• Barb Castor, Boaters Industry
Association of Upstate NY
Historic preservation
• Bob Radliff, Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor, Task Force member
• Derrick Pratt, Old Erie Canal Community
Working Group, Task Force member
• Jean MacKay, Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor
• Erin Tobin, Preservation Society of NYS
• Jay DiLorenzo, Preservation Society of NYS
63 | REIMAGINE THE CANALS
Recreational fishing
• Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle &
Lodge, Task Force member
• Jessie Hollenbeck, Wide Sky Fly Fishing
• Dave Agness, Trout Unlimited/OASIS
Adaptive Sports/Project Healing Waters
Fly Fishing
• Lindsay Agness, Lindsay Agness Fly
Fishing Guide Service
• Danny Evans, Lone Wolf Sport Fishing
• Web Pearsall, NYSDEC
• Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism
Director
• John DeFilipps, Orleans County Legislator
• Ken DeRoller, Orleans County Legislator
Trail recreation
• Andy Beers, Empire State Trail, Task
Force member
• Robin Dropkin, Parks and Trails NY, Task
Force member
• Bob Radliff, Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor, Task Force member
• John Robinson, Our Ability, Task Force
member
• Derrick Pratt, Erie Canal Museum, Task
Force member
• Sasha Eisenstein, Canal Corporation
• Kathy Moser, Open Space Institute
Wetlands restoration
• David Klein, The Nature Conservancy
• Neil Murphy, SUNY-ESF, Task Force
member
• Chris Lajewski, Montezuma Audubon
Center, Task Force member
• Matt Marko, NYSDEC
• Emily Sheridan, NYSDEC
• Elizabeth Tracy, NYSDEC
• Jean Foley, NYSDEC
• Jana Lantry, NYSDEC
• Mike Wasilco, NYSDEC
• Frank Morlock, NYSDEC
• Scott Healy, NYSDEC
• Bill Stewart, US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Maria Goula, Cornell University
• Jamie Vanucchi, Cornell University
• Sandi Bastedo, Cornell Cooperative
Extension
Invasive species
• Matt Snyder, Oneida Lake Association
• Kristen Holleck, Cornell Biological Field
Station
• Hilary Lambert, Cayuga Lake Watershed
Network
• Jennifer Tufano Grillo, Cayuga Lake
Watershed
• Kristin King, Western New York PRISM
• Andrea Locke, Western New York PRISM
• Hilary Mosher, Finger Lakes PRISM
• Gwendolyn Grace Temple, Capital-Mohawk
PRISM
• Rob Williams, SLELO PRISM
• Meg Modley, Lake Champlain Basin
Program
• Kathy Moser, Open Space Institute
• Rick Relyea, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute
• Ian Smith, Finger Lakes Institute
• Stuart Gruskin, The Nature Conservancy
• Brittney Rogers, The Nature Conservancy
• Lindsay Chatterton, The Nature
Conservancy
• Steve Hurst, NYSDEC
• Aimee Clinkhammer, NYSDEC
• Jean Foley, NYSDEC
• Jana Lantry, NYSDEC
• David Lemon, NYSDEC
• Matt Marko, NYSDEC
• Steven Pearson, NYSDEC
• Justin Perry, NYSDEC
• Emily Sheridan, NYSDEC
• Alexander J. Smith, NYSDEC
• Robert Breault, USGS
• Katherine Czajkowski, NYSDEC
• Judy Drabecki, NYSDEC
• Frances Dunwell, NYSDEC
• Heather Gierloff, NYSDEC
• Gregg Kenney, NYSDEC
• Sandra Keppner, USFWS
• Jacqueline Lendrum, NYSDEC
• Josh Thiel, NYSDEC
• Eric Wiegert, NYSDEC
• Cathy McGlynn, NYSDEC
Irrigation and Agriculture
• David Valesky, NYS Agriculture and
Markets
• David Wolfe, Cornell Institute for Climate
Smart Solutions, Task Force member
• Amanda Krenning-Muoio, NYS Farm
Bureau, Task Force member
• Elizabeth Buck, Cornell Cooperative
Extension
• Katie Sommerfeldt, Orleans County Soil &
Water Conservation District
• Ken DeRoller, Orleans County Legislator
• John DeFilpps, Orleans County Legislator
• Craig Kahlke, Cornell Cooperative
Extension
• Jeff Toussaint, Toussaint Farms
• Alan Panek, Panek Farms
• Peter Martin, Kreher Family Farms
• Maureen Torrey, Torrey Farms
• Gary Kludt, Kludt Brothers, Inc.
• Adam Kirby, A & J Farms
• Jim Kirby, A & J Farms
• Steve Nesbitt, Nesbitt Fruit Farms
• Oded Kalir
• Mike Kreher, Kreher Family Farms
• Amy Machamer, Hurd Orchards
APPENDICES | 64